Since 2022, IICED (International Institute of Creative Entrepreneurial Development) colleagues Paul Ranson, Hazel Israel, and I have been deeply involved in a collaborative endeavour, fuelled by our shared dedication to enhancing entrepreneurial education. Under the visionary leadership of Professor Kath Penaluna, this journey has been both dynamic and immensely rewarding for all of us. By combining our diverse perspectives and expertise, we’ve created what we believe to be a vibrant and authentic learning environment so crucial for developing the essential skills needed in today’s VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) world.
With this, I am motivated to share our publication of ‘Unpacking the 3Es’ – a national perspective’, commissioned by HEFCW, edited by Professor Stuart Norton and Professsor Andy Penaluna, which offers a glimpse into our work at IICED, at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Our focus is on reshaping the way Employability, Enterprise, and Entrepreneurship (3Es) are approached in education. In an era where economic resilience is paramount, the role of educational institutions in developing adaptable, innovative leaders is critical. In collaboration with Carmarthen Business School (CBS), we believe we have innovatively addressed this need through our online Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) in Enterprise Skills which transcends traditional educational models, aligning closely with the evolving needs of the job market and the entrepreneurial sphere.
Influenced by IICED’s role in global policymaking, including shaping the European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, EntreComp, the programme reflects a blend of rigorous academic standards and practical, real-world applicability. Our PgCert project, structured around the EntreComp framework, effectively merges theoretical knowledge with practical application across three modules and fifteen units. This approach focuses on nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset, ensuring authentic assessment, and enhancing employability skills. The program’s evolution into an AI-supported micro-credential project, incorporating Artificial Intelligence Software (AIS) as a digital teaching assistant with multi-lingual capabilities and crowdsourced FAQs, introduces a novel dimension to entrepreneurial education. This enhancement not only provides a more responsive and tailored learning experience but also boosts problem-solving skills and creativity, improves technical proficiency and critical thinking, and prepares students for a technology-centric workforce, thus equipping students to effectively navigate today’s complex and uncertain world.
As we look forward, we look to enrich the discourse on the future of entrepreneurial education and role model how educational institutions may adapt to the rapidly changing landscape and demonstrate how AI and other technologies can be effectively integrated into curricula to support the required adaptability, creativity, and critical thinking.
For me, this has been an inspiring journey of professional collaboration, characterised by shared objectives and reciprocal learning. Our collective efforts have culminated in a programme that not only aligns with academic excellence but also sets new standards in entrepreneurial education.
For an in-depth exploration of our collaborative work and its outcomes, I invite you to read our case study: Healey-Benson, F., Ranson, P., & Penaluna, K. (2024). ‘Leveraging AI to embed the three Es in an online PGCert Enterprise programme underpinned by EntreComp’, in S. Norton & A. Penaluna (Eds.), Unpacking the 3 Es – a national perspective: A Case Study Series commissioned by HEFCW 2023, pp. 90-99, AdvanceHE. Access the full report here.
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